On September 14th 1964, the Beatles arrived in Pittsburgh with 4,000 screaming teenage fans greeting them at the airport. The Beatles held the following
press conference just before their performance in front of a crowd of 12,500 at Pittsburgh's Civic Arena.

Also on this day, Beatles' manager Brian Epstein rejoined their entourage, flying into Pittsburgh from London so he could attend the final sweep of cities along their 1964 North American Tour.

Following the concert in Pittsburgh, the Beatles party flew onward to Cleveland Ohio.

- Jay Spangler, www.beatlesinterviews.org

Q: "How about the wear and tear on the clothes, boys? How many different sets of what did you have to bring?"

PAUL: "A couple of suits, you know. A few shirts. A couple of ties. A few pair of shoes."

JOHN: "We always bring them with us anyway. The only things that we lose are things that are stolen."

Q: "You have a lot of things stolen?"

JOHN: "A few odd things."

Q: "Do you ever wish your association with the crowd could be a little different so you could meet more of your fans?"

PAUL: "Yes, but we don't get much of a chance, really. Sometimes we do."

JOHN: "We meet more fans than people imagine."

Q: "What do you like for women's fashions?"

PAUL: "I like long hair, you know. And modern-type clothes. You know what I mean... European modern-type."

Q: "Gentlemen, I would like your reaction to the Civic Arena in which we're located. Did you see the outside?"

BEATLES: "Yeah!"

GEORGE: "Is this the place that can be changed into an open-air?"

Q: "The roof opens up."

JOHN: "Very good. Good idea, that. I hope they don't lift the roof while we're playing."

(reporters chuckle)

PAUL: "So do I."

Q: "How do you compare British and American audiences?"

PAUL: "They're all just as good as each other, you know."

Q: "How do you prefer for your fans to act at your concerts?"

PAUL: "However they feel like, you know."

JOHN: "They can stand in their seats or keep them. We always do the same no matter what happens. We still carry on."

Q: "Ringo, there's a rumor that you're running for president. Do you have any comment on that?"

RINGO: "No, I'm not running."

Q: (to Ringo) "When will you be getting your tonsils out? Will it be before the end of the current tour?"

RINGO: "Umm, there's nothing wrong with them now. The doctor just wants them out in case the start causing any trouble. It'll be before the
end of the year, most probably. It won't be in America. It'll be in England."

Q: "After the success you had with your first film, would you ever consider making a film in America?"

GEORGE: "Anywhere."

PAUL: "The thing is, the natural place for American people to make films is Hollywood, and it's unnatural for us to come all the way over here
when we've got the same facilities in England. It's more a prestige thing to make a film in Hollywood... not any real need to do it. And it's much cheaper
and easier to do it in England for us."

Q: "Is it because you think the British filmmakers do a better job?"

GEORGE: "Well, Dick Lester (director of A Hard Day's Night) is American, and the producer (Walter Shensen) is American too."

Q: "How do you fellas go about writing your songs?"

JOHN: "We sit down in a room and just pick up a guitar or any convenient thing."

PAUL: "Then I go-- (comical singing) 'Mmmm-hmm-hmm-hmm.'"

(laughter)

JOHN: "Sometimes Ringo and I go-- (comic melodic whistling)

Q: "Would you repeat that?"

PAUL: "Yes. 'Mmmm-hmm-hmm-hmm.'"

Q: "What is the secret to your success and acceptance all over the world?"

JOHN: "No secret - that makes us just ordinary, you know."

RINGO: "We don't know."

PAUL: "Really, it's very hard to work out."

Q: "Now that you're actors, who is your favorite actor?"

JOHN: "I haven't got a favorite."

PAUL: "Paul Newman. Marlon Brando."

GEORGE: "Peter Sellers."

PAUL: "Sophie Tucker."

(laughter)

JOHN: "She's got a good act."

Q: "Paul, who writes the lyrics and who writes the melodies?"

PAUL: "We like to write them both. I mean uhh, as I say, sometimes I go Mmmm-hmm-hmm."

JOHN: "Sometimes..."

(laughter)

PAUL: "There's no formula at all. For instance, John can write a complete song."

JOHN: "Thanks."

PAUL: "He's clever like that. Or I can write one, you know... or else we just write a line of words AND music each. It's mad. In fact, we've
never written a song like that where one of us has done the words and one of us done the music. All these mad ways of doing it, you know."

Q: "I understand there is a so-called pirate radio ship off the shores in Britain playing more of a wider music variety than is otherwise
available."

PAUL: "It's a bit more like American radio than they have in Britain."

JOHN: "And it's going well, you know."

PAUL: "...and it's got commercials, too."

Q: "Is Ringo going to sing lead on more records?"

RINGO: "Well no, you know. It's just... one an album is me."

Q: "Do the Beatles feel any serious competition from the other groups?